Science:threats To Young And Unborn: Experts Say Common Chemicals May Harm Fetuses

May 25, 2007|By MARLA CONE / Los Angeles Times

Some might experience long-term effects from toxic exposure while still in the womb.

In a strongly worded declaration, many of the world's leading environmental scientists warned Thursday that exposure to common chemicals makes babies more likely to develop an array of health problems later in life, including diabetes, attention deficit disorders, prostate cancer, fertility problems, thyroid disorders and even obesity.

The declaration by about 200 scientists from five continents amounts to a vote of confidence in a growing body of evidence that humans are vulnerable to long-term harm from toxic exposures in the womb and during the first years after birth.

Toxicologists, pediatricians, epidemiologists and other experts warned that when fetuses and newborns encounter various toxic substances, growth of critical organs and functions can be skewed. In a process called "fetal programming," the children are susceptible to diseases later in life -- and perhaps could even pass on those altered traits to their children and grandchildren.

The scientists' statement also contained a rare international call to action. The effort was led by Dr. Philippe Grandjean of Harvard University and University of Southern Denmark, and Dr. Pal Weihe of the Faroese Hospital System, who both have studied children exposed to mercury for more than 20 years.

Many governmental agencies and industry groups, particularly in the United States, have said there is no or little human evidence to support concerns about most toxic residue in air, water, food and consumer products. About 80,000 chemicals are registered in the United States.

Yet, the scientists urged government leaders not to wait for more scientific certainty and recommended that governments revise regulations and procedures to take into account subtle effects on fetal and infant development.

"Given the ubiquitous exposure to many environmental toxicants, there needs to be renewed efforts to prevent harm. Such prevention should not await detailed evidence on individual hazards," the scientists wrote in the four- page statement.

GENE ALTERATION

The scientists are particularly concerned that the newest animal research suggests that chemicals can alter gene expression -- turning on or off genes that predispose people to disease. Although the DNA itself would not be altered, such genetic misfires in the womb may be permanent, and all of the subsequent generations could be at greater risk of diseases, too.

"Toxic exposures to chemical pollutants during these windows of increased susceptibility can cause disease and disability in childhood and across the entire span of human life," the scientists concluded. "Recent research now shows that even subtle effects caused by chemical exposures during early development may lead to important functional deficits and increased risks of disease."

The Barker Hypothesis, conceived by a British scientist in 1992, says human fetuses are "programmed" for diseases by their early environment. The scientists concluded that this is now well-documented for toxic exposures by a large collection of animal experiments and some human data.

"A sad aspect with many of these prenatal exposures is that they leave the mother unscathed while causing injury to her fetus," said Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician who chairs the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Department of Community and Preventive Medicine. He was one of the statement's authors.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

In a more optimistic vein, the researchers said that if contaminants do play a big role in human health problems, some diseases could be prevented.

"Reducing exposure would lead to tremendous benefits," said Dr. Bruce Lanphear, director of the Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "We shouldn't wait for an epidemic to fully mature before we develop policies to protect children."

For centuries, the basic rule of toxicology has been "the dose makes the poison." Now, the scientists say "the timing makes the poison" -- in other words, when a toxic exposure occurs is as important as how much people are exposed to.

The fetus "is extraordinarily susceptible to perturbation of the intrauterine environment," they wrote.

The growing brain is the most sensitive. Mothers' exposure to mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish and other seafood can cause slight declines in IQ and motor skills. Early exposure to pesticides could also trigger Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

OTHER EFFECTS

Also, children exposed to lead, organophosphate pesticides or cigarette smoke have greater risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One of every three cases of the neurological disorder, affecting an estimated 560,000 children in the United States, can be attributed to either lead exposure or prenatal tobacco smoke exposure, Lanphear reported in a study published last December.